Hamilton signs

Six days after turning 24, Hamilton signed a pro contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack on Monday for the upcoming hockey season.

Hamilton will be among the players who will report to training camp when the parent Rangers and Wolf Pack convene this week in New York and sort out the organization's depth chart for 2001-2002.

If all goes right, the 5-foot-10, 182-pound playmaker could center one of Hartford's three lines when the Wolf Pack drop the puck to open the AHL season on Oct. 6 at Albany.

Hamilton, twice a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, wrapped up his collegiate career by going 23-32-55 in 31 games. Statistically, he was among the top five among collegians in points-per-game (1.72) and goals-per-game (.76).

It was a bounce-back year for Hamilton who was a medical redshirt in 1999-2000. Hamilton's campaign was limited to just two games because of abdominal muscle injuries.

Overall, Hamilton played in 125 career games at Yale -- a school record -- while going 80-94-174.

Only the legendary Ding Palmer scored for career goals (87) for the Elis (from 1927-1930) while more recent Yale standout and Bob Brooke (113), notched more career helpers.

Hamilton, a native of Englewood, Ohio, prepped at Avon Old Farms before joining the Elis in 1996-97.

Hamilton, a first-team ECAC All-Star for three seasons, finished second in the league scoring race this past season. He won the scoring title in 1998-99 when he drew support for the Hobey Baker Award, the annual honor to the top U.S. collegian which is similar to football's Heisman Trophy.

NOTES: The Wolf Pack have announced this year's training camp will be at the Hartford Civic Center and coach John Paddock will run the team through its first drills on Sunday.

Fans can get a look at the club with the annual Blue-White scrimmage on Sept. 18 at Veterans Rink in West Hartford (7 p.m.). The club's first exhibition will be Sept. 22 at Champions in Cromwell against Worcester (7 p.m.)